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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Based on the blazing hot temperatures, you’d think we were closer to mid-August than mid-September, but believe it or not we are inching closer and closer to season by the day. I’ve noticed a slight uptick in traffic and several new restaurants are readying to open. 

In this week’s issue we will take a look at a fantastic new Latin restaurant – Latinos 239 - in a very unexpected location: the Coastland Center Mall. We will also cover the first in our series of Naples Hidden Gems: The Coffee Shop at The Cove Inn. Finally, there’s a short reflection on a recent local tragedy that we should all be aware of. 

The results from last week’s poll are in and LoLa 41 won handily as the “Best Sushi in Naples.” We will be covering the Naples sushi selections in an upcoming issue. 

For locals and visitors alike, I hope you soak up these final days of summer (for locals, I hope that A/C is still in good shape), and that you have time to enjoy some of the great Summer Dining Deals still in place. 

Thanks,

Note: We need your help! What is your favorite Naples Hidden Gem? We can’t wait to hear your feedback and try some new favorites! In next week’s issue we’ll also be launching a regular feature called “Naples Hidden Gems” that will regularly feature a local restaurant or business that is often overlooked or underrated. Email YOUR favorite Hidden Gem to [email protected].

📰 Upcoming in this issue

• Latinos 239 is Crushing it at The Coastland Mall

• Naples Hidden Gem: The Coffee Shop at The Cove Inn

• Local Mom Killed and Kids Critically Injured When Semitrailer Slams Into SUV

Latinos 239 is Crushing it at The Coastland Mall

The last time I went to the Coastland Mall I was 8 months pregnant and wanted a warm buttered pretzel. As a child of the 80s and 90s, I am well aware that the Golden Age of the local mall is long gone. The mall used to be THE place to be – after school or on the weekends – to putz around with your friends and browse the aisles at such American treasures as Claire’s Gifts, Spencer’s Gifts and the temple of Abercrombie & Fitch. Not so much today: the glory of the local mall is gone, and many across the country are being scrapped or zoned for something else. 

I remember, waddling up the center aisle at Coastland Mall in January of 2020 while pushing a stroller with my 16 month old – full term – and thinking, “I’ve got to cut down on the pretzels after #2 is born,” and, “I wonder when I’ll come back around here again?”

Last Thursday I got a tip. An amazing new Latin restaurant called Latinos 239 had opened at Coastland Mall. After checking to see that I had heard correctly, I jumped in my car and called up my favorite, reliable Latina lunch date. She met me at a low table in the Food Court between the Chick-Fil-A and Latinos 239. My husband Manny, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, had also handed me a to-go order. I still didn’t have an answer for either one of them on what type of “Latin Food” this was actually intended to be (turns out it is a mix of Cuban and Columbian). The grey plastic table seemed relatively clean, so that was a good start. 

We approached the counter and I was skeptical to say the least. I mean – this is full-on food court style. Steam table, a case with various pastries, and a friendlier-than-usual attendant ladling food into white foam containers. My friend ordered picadillo and mixed rice and beans along with sweet plantains (maduros) that had just been refreshed on the line. Manny wanted the pork chop, a daily special, and I was still a little confused about what I would try. 

Then I saw the spinning chickens. Golden-kissed and normal-chicken size, the browning birds rotated on spits in a brand-new rotisserie just beyond the counter. I gestured towards the perfectly roasted chickens as I approached the friendly attendant – who happened to be the co-owner Marly Villamil. I knew what I’d be having today. After placing half a chicken in the main compartment of my Styrofoam container, she ladled a careful amount of broth over the top. A generous amount of rice and beans were added along with a helping of sweet plantains. A soft drink or water was included with the meal. The total came to $15. 

In the meantime, our first clean table got snagged by an opportunistic Chick-Fil-A customer, so we settled in a different quadrant of the Food Court. I opened my stuffed white container and tucked straight into the chicken. It was phenomenal. Juicy and perfectly cooked. I found myself dredging the bottom of the container with my chicken-loaded plastic fork trying to mop up as much of the broth as possible. Their mixed rice and beans (moros) were excellent as well. At nearly every restaurant I’ve visited this rice-and-bean mix is an afterthought. Probably the day-old rice with the day-old black beans getting a second chance at life. Here they are treated with respect and, importantly, seasoning. 

Across the table my usually-delicate friend was eating like a savage. The picadillo was gone - before I thought to ask to try it - along with every last grain of rice. She was scraping the container. We’d recently dressed up and gone to a beautiful event at the Turtle Club. This was something else entirely. We’ll have to trust her review that the picadillo is a great choice and that it’s certainly worth a return trip. There’s already a special next week that she’s headed back there for – and I’ll be there, too. 

I’ve eaten at most of the “best” Latin restaurants in Naples and the food at Latinos 239 is right up there with all of them. The biggest difference is that the Pollo a la Brasa (my spinning chicken) is going to cost you twice as much anywhere else, and probably won’t be as good. The rice and beans have an edge on anything I’ve tried Van Van, Rumba and Unidos in recent visits. I distinctly remember that the size of the rice and beans side at Unidos was pretty skimpy. Meanwhile, my kids are still finishing the superior rice and beans from Latinos 239 tonight for dinner.

If you’re looking for a peaceful dining experience with ambiance, Latinos 239 isn’t going to give you that. They will, however, give you sturdy white Styrofoam containers, a plastic packet with silverware and a white cup served with your choice of soft drink. Head over to Latinos 239 today and re-live the mall scene of your childhood – I promise the dining selections of your youth have vastly improved with Latinos 239. 

Naples Hidden Gem: The Coffee Shop at The Cove Inn

Is there anything that screams “Old Naples” quite as much as the Cove Inn? Nestled near the Naples Dock, this expansive hotel-appearing space overflows with 1960s and 1970s vibes. Today it is comprised of individually owned condos, but the rustic tiki bar area and community feel convey a simpler time, before the taller and sleeker buildings started going up. 

Step into the lobby and look right immediately. Don’t blink. At the top of that short staircase you’ll see The Coffee Shop and the busy attendant ready to take down your names if there’s a wait. In season, there will be a wait. 

The Coffee Shop is a true, old-school diner. There’s an open kitchen with bar seating along with small tables around the small room. The grill looks like it was probably last detailed during the Reagan Administration. No frills, mostly locals, always excellent. 

If you love corned beef hash – or, if you are even open to the idea of loving it – get the Rafter’s Reef. You’ll get a generous serving of their excellent corned beef hash, perfectly browned on both sides, with an extra-large egg and toast. Spring for the extra egg – the hash will give you plenty of real estate to soak it up with. 

If you’re into eggs, the Admiral’s Omelet is an excellent choice. The mix of Muenster cheese, extra-large eggs and diced ham – perfectly crisped and a little browned – is unbeatable. Like pancakes? These are enormous and almost crepe-like in their delicate thinness. You can’t go wrong. 

The Coffee Shop at The Cove Inn is open Monday through Friday from 7:00am - 12:00pm, and  Saturday & Sunday from 7:00am - 1:30pm. 

Local Mom Killed and Kids Critically Injured When Semitrailer Slams Into SUV

September 5^th undoubtedly started out as a normal Thursday for 47-year-old Heather Anderson, as she got ready to take her 12 year old son R.J. and his best friend Brecket King to school. Every parent knows the ebbs and flows of prepping young kids for the drive to school each day. Do you have your lunch? Are we on time? Did you remember your homework? Are we giving your best friend a ride?

All of this routine and normalcy, however, came to a sudden, shocking, halt when a semitrailer hauling fertilizer ran a red light on Immokalee Road and slammed into the driver’s side of Heather’s SUV. In an instant, Heather’s two young children were left without a mother and both children in the car were hospitalized with serious injuries. In a recent update on September 10^th on Facebook – shared in a local mom’s group – Brecket’s family noted that he was in a medically induced coma with life-threatening injuries.  

Dangerous driving conditions in Naples should be a serious concern for locals and visitors alike, especially as we prepare for another busy season. If you’ve driven in Naples, you’ll hardly need a reminder of the huge number of distracted drivers, along with drivers who fail to stop at 4-way stops, drivers who don’t know how to use a roundabout, drivers who run red lights and drivers who perilously weave in and out of already-busy traffic to get where they are going (seemingly) a little faster. Eight and a half months into 2024, at least 29 drivers have been killed on the roadways in Collier County. 

Like many local moms, I feel incredibly sad and sick to my stomach about this latest accident. If you happened to drive by the scene in the aftermath and saw the damage to Heather’s SUV, the image is seared in your brain. Two families had the course of their lives utterly transformed forever. 

What can we do? Several fundraisers for the families are already up and running along with a Change.org petition to make the roadways safer (specific aims are listed). The Naples Daily News has a good list of these initiatives here. More broadly speaking, however, it is up to us to make our roadways safer by obeying traffic laws, putting down our cell phones and driving defensively. 

Personally, I’ve been paying more attention at intersections when the light turns green. Instead of driving confidently ahead, I have been trying to make sure that the vehicles traveling in other directions have stopped at their freshly-turned red light. I’ve had people beep at me to go faster, but it is not worth my life – or the lives of my family and others – to rush on the roads. 

I urge you to stay alert on the roads this season and not take unnecessary risks. We live in a wonderful community that happens to have a serious problem with distracted drivers. Please help to make this a safe place for locals and visitors alike to travel on the roadways.

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Why It Matters

Our community is constantly evolving, from hidden gems like Latinos 239 bringing fresh flavors to the Coastland Mall, to longstanding institutions like The Coffee Shop at The Cove Inn continuing to offer nostalgic comfort. These places bring people together, offering not just meals, but memories.

However, as we embrace the vibrant food and culture around us, it’s crucial to remember the importance of safety and mindfulness, especially on our roads. The tragic loss of a local mom serves as a heartbreaking reminder to stay vigilant, protect our loved ones, and ensure that Naples remains not just a great place to visit, but a safe community for everyone.

Let’s celebrate the gems around us, but also work together to make our roads safer for all.

Carolyn Cervoni
Editor-in-Chief
Naples, Florida
The Naples Florida Review

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P.P.S. - As mentioned in our introduction, please email YOUR favorite Hidden Gem to [email protected]. We will regularly feature a local restaurant or business that is often overlooked or underrated.